Kidō
Kidō (鬼道, Demon Way/Way of the Demon) is a form of Shinigami combat based on advanced spells. These spells are produced with strong Reiryoku and fall into two main categories: Hadō '''for direct attacks, and Bakudō''' for battle support. Additionally, there's a third category for healing spells called Kaidō, which is considered separately from the other two. Kidō is one of the techniques in the Zankensoki, the group of Shinigami primary combat skills. Kidō spells are triggered by an incantation. Experienced users can trigger them without an incantation, though the effectiveness of the spell will be diminished. The Kidō Corps is a branch of Soul Society's military which excels in the mastery of Kidō. Kidō Mechanics Most spells are graded on a scale from 1 to 99, spells of the latter being the most powerful and the most difficult to perform. To use Kidō, a Shinigami must recite the specific incantation for the spell, which is often long and requires a few seconds to speak. This is done to better focus the Reiryoku used in the spell. The power of a spell relies on the power of the user, as even a low-level spell can be utterly devastating when utilized by a high-class Shinigami. This is why high-class Shinigami can perform a more powerful spell without reciting the incantation than most lower-class Shinigami who perform the same spell with the proper incantation. Experienced users can also use different Shiki '(式, Formula), which are variations developed for each spell. Izuru Kira is known for using Shiki, one of them being 'Byakurai: Reishiki, which shapes Byakurai into a large sphere before he fires it. Another way to variate the power of a Kidō is by using different catalysts. With a bigger or wider catalyst, the spell will easily become stronger. Mayuri Kurotsuchi is known to perform Shō using his entire palm instead of just a finger, which results in the spell automatically becoming powerful enough to blast large holes through walls. Kaname Tōsen performs''' Tenran by continuously spinning his Zanpakutō by its ring, which results in a massive, widespread tornado, far bigger than normal ones. Kidō can be used for practical purposes as well. Renji Abarai and Ashido Kanō have demonstrated that a Kidō spell can be used to light a dark hallway if the spell is tweaked in the right way, albeit with less power. Kidō Classification There are three main types of Kidō: Bakudō, Hadō and Kaidō. *'''Bakudō (縛道, Way of Binding): Supplementary spells which can immobilize an enemy or have an effect besides a direct strike. They may seem subtle, but these spells can give their users a tactical advantage when used properly. These are a broad category of defensive spells which block/repel attacks or freezes enemies in place. This class of spells include Kidō Barriers & Seals. :*'Barriers' (結界, Kekkai): Focused spiritual energy formed into a solid form of energy. This energy can take on many shapes or colors as determined by the user. Barriers are protective in nature, and can be as simple as a barrier only protecting one direction or encompassing all sides of an area. Barriers can be used for containment, and some barriers can be used offensively. Barriers can mask spiritual pressure and can make one spiritually and physically invisible. The strength of a barrier is dependent upon the power of the user. Weak barriers are easily breakable, while strong ones can last for centuries. Barriers created by noble blood are said to be unbreakable by those of lesser status. Certain barriers can be placed beforehand and activated later, while others require certain artifacts and time to activate. :*'Seals' (封, Fū): Somewhat similar to barriers, but far more powerful and require far more preparation to create. Seals can only be used by those of sufficient spiritual power being who are meant to hold the most powerful and/or dangerous artifacts or beings. Seals are usually hard to break. *'Hadō' (破道, Way of Destruction): Offensive spells which inflict direct damage to the enemy. Their effectiveness differs depending on the user. It is said the effectiveness of the higher-ranked spells are beyond imagination. :*'Gisei Hadō' (犠牲破道, Sacrificial Way of Destruction): A particular offensive spell that requires the user to sacrifice a certain portion of themselves as the cost of using it. Ittō Kasō is one of them. *'Kaidō' (回道, Way of Turning): Most of these spells do not have known names, numbers, or incantations to cast, and simply heal the target. As the user holds his/her hands above the patient's wounds, his/her palms usually glow with green spiritual energy to facilitate healing. When one heals with regular healing kidō, they perform Reiatsu restoration first. By doing so, one can attempt to recover the physical body using the patient's restored reiatsu and the healer's external reiatsu. Therefore, restoring the reiatsu when the physical body is in a fully healed state is no trouble at all. Also known as Healing Kidō (治療用鬼道, Chiryōyō Kidō). There are also some more classifications directed towards very specific spells: *'Kaizō Kidō '(改造鬼道, Modified Kidō/Modified Demon Way): A modified spell is a Kidō spell that has been altered by its user to incorporate non-Kidō characteristics. Kisuke Urahara is known to have altered spells by combining them with his Zanpakutō's abilities and Hachigen Ushōda created his Barrier techniques by combining his Shinigami and Hollow Reiryoku. *'Forbidden Kidō' Techniques (鬼道の禁術, Kidō no Kinjutsu; Japanese for''' "Forbidden Techniques of the Demon Way"): A form of classification for Kidō spells which are considered illegal by Soul Society. The use of such spells will commonly result in some form of lengthy imprisonment or worse. The Kidō spells which fall under this class are those which involve the manipulation of space and time and Kidō which sacrifices the self. *'''Secret Kidō Techniques (鬼道の秘術, Kidō no Hijutsu; Japanese for''' "Secret Techniques of the Demon Way"): A form of classification for specific Kidō spells which are used by the Kidō Corps for various purposes. These spells are only taught to select members of the organization. Incantation Classes *'''Eishōhaki (詠唱破棄, Incantation Abandonment): A class of Kidō Incantation where the Kidō practitioner forgoes using a spoken incantation at all. While it decreases the time needed to release the Kidō, it drastically weakens the spell. While anyone well versed in Kidō can use this technique, it is most effective when done by a skilled practitioner, otherwise the spell could utterly fail (e.g. explode in the user's face). The most skilled experts are capable of using this technique to amazing effect. *'Nijū Eishō' (二重詠唱, Twofold Incantation): a class of Kidō Incantation where the Kidō practitioner mixes the incantations of two entirely separate Kidō spells together to save time and confuse their opponent at the same time. *'Kōjutsu Eishō' (後述詠唱, Spoken-After Incantation): A class of Kidō Incantation where the incantation is recited after initiating the spell in order to power it up. So far, only Hachigen Ushōda has been seen using this technique, in order to reinforce the nature of his Ryūbi no Jōmon during his fight against Baraggan Louisenbairn. Kidō is commonly used in instances of surprise attacks, rather than all-out assaults, being most effective when one's opponent does not see it coming. Kidō is usable with just the spell name and no incantation or spell number. Kidō Spells *'Bakudō Spells:' **Bakudō #1: Sai **Bakudō #4: Hainawa **Bakudō #8: Seki **Bakudō #9: Geki **Bakudō #9: Hōrin **Bakudō #21: Sekienton **Bakudō #26: Kyokkō **Bakudō #30: Shitotsu Sansen **Bakudō #37: Tsuriboshi **Bakudō #39: Enkōsen **Bakudō #58: Kakushitsuijaku ***Kakushitsuijaku: Oishiki **Bakudō #61: Rikujōkōrō **Bakudō #62: Hyapporankan **Bakudō #63: Sajō Sabaku **Bakudō #73: Tozanshō **Bakudō #75: Gochūtekkan **Bakudō #77: Tenteikūra **Bakudō #79: Kuyō Shibari **Bakudō #81: Dankū ***Dankū: Hakoshiki **Bakudō #99, Part 1: Kin **Bakudō #99, Part 2: Bankin **Shibireyubi **Hakufuku **Inemuri **Tanma Otoshi **Shimoku **Katsujumei *'Bakudō Barriers:' **Kyōmon **Ryūsei Kenzaki's Protective Barrier **Ryūsei Kenzaki's Invisibility Barrier **Kasumiōji Family's Protective Barrier **Byakuya Kuchiki's Protective Barrier **Isane Kotetsu's Invisibility Barrier **Millon Escudo **El Escudo **Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's Protective Barrier **Ginrei Kuchiki's Intangibility Barrier **Hakūdan Keppeki *'Bakudō Seals:' **Fūsatsu Kakei **Kyūjūrokkei Kakafūmetsu **Shisō Kekkai *'Hadō Spells:' **Hadō #1: Shō **Hadō #4: Byakurai ***Byakurai: Reishiki ***Byakurai: Tashiki **Hadō #11: Tsuzuri Raiden **Hadō #12: Fushibi **Hadō #20: Shōtenkyū **Hadō #26: Gōensai **Hadō #31: Shakkahō ***Shakkahō: Tashiki **Hadō #32: Ōkasen **Hadō #33: Sōkatsui ***Sōkatsui: Kabeshiki **Hadō #54: Haien **Hadō #58: Tenran ***Tenran: Tokushiki **Hadō #63: Raikōhō **Hadō #73: Sōren Sōkatsui **Hadō #88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō **Hadō #90: Kurohitsugi **Hadō #91: Senjū Kōten Taihō **Shihyōsen **Sōeigeki **Kongōbaku **Gaki Rekkō **Hyōga Seiran *'Gisei Hadō Spells:' **Gisei Hadō #96: Ittō Kasō *'Kaidō Spells:' **Keikatsu **Meiyu **Kōkkai **Shikuka *'Kaizō Kidō Spells:' **Hachigyō Sōgai **Goyōgai **Standing Ovation **Roppō Fūjin **Ryubi no Jōmon **Koko no Jōmon **Kikai no Jōmon **Hoyoku no Jōmon **Shiji no Saimon **Hako Okuri **Jūgeki Byakurai *'Forbidden Kid' ō'' ''Techniques : **Jikanteishi **Kūkanten'i *'Uncategorized Kidō Spells': **Sentan Hakuja **Keikaigi **Shūsuke Amagai's Teleportation Spell **Noren Mekuri **Hell Kidō Kidō Users * Kidō Masters: Those who can cast high level spells with incredible power. They can use Kidō with great tact and skill that when it is used, it is quite devastating.They often do so while skipping encantations. *'Kidō Experts': Those who can cast mid to high level spells with considerable power and tact. Many can skip the incantation and still keep the power intact. *'''Kidō Practioners: '''Those who have an understanding of Kidō and can cast low to mid level spells of some power. Most users of this class prefer other areas of skill like Zanjutsu or Hakuda. References Category:Techniques Category:Important Terms Category:Kidō Category:Shinigami Category:World of Bleach Category:Fighting Style